School of Medicine Course of Study

The degree Doctor of Medicine is awarded upon the successful completion of the Basic Sciences curriculum, the Clinical Sciences curriculum, and the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), Steps 1 and 2. The entire M.D. program consists of ten 15-week semesters (150 weeks).

Overview

Ross University School of Medicine offers a Basic Sciences curriculum designed to prepare students for licensure and practice in the U.S. or Canada.  All Basic Sciences coursework is offered on the School of Medicine campus (located at Portsmouth, in the Commonwealth of Dominica) and must be satisfactorily completed there.

The Basic Sciences segment, conducted in Dominica, consists of 60 credits of specifically prescribed coursework. There are four semesters of Basic Sciences classes, for a total of two academic years. All Basic Sciences coursework must be satisfactorily completed on the Portsmouth campus. Students are eligible for licensure in the United States as long as they do not deviate from these standards. 

The Clinical Sciences curriculum, conducted in the U.S., consists of 90 weeks of clinical training. It begins with an introductory clinical segment of 12 weeks, the "Advanced Introduction to Clinical Medicine." This clinical experience is designed to build on the students' training in medical history and physical diagnostic skills, as well as the students' approach to the patient. It is conducted in hospitals and related clinical facilities in the Miami area.

The remaining 78 weeks consist of 48 weeks of required ("core") clerkships and 30 weeks of elective. During this time, the student participates in patient care while rotating through various medical specialties in affiliated teaching hospitals and other approved health care facilities in the United States.